United Drives to collect toiletries during month of October

Throughoutthe 2011 Major League Soccer season, D.C. United collects items at every homegame to benefit pre-determined non-profit organizations within the Washington,D.C. Metropolitan Area. This October,the club will collect toiletries to benefit Thrive DC. As a D.C. United signature program, United Drivesassigns a different charity drive for each month of the MLS regular season,including the collection of games, toys, food, children’s books, and soccerequipment.

Thrive DC works to prevent and end homelessness by providingvulnerable individuals with a comprehensive range of services to help stabilizetheir lives.

This year, D.C. Unitedinitiated a United Drives Challenge to help encourage and create an opportunityfor elementary and middle schools to give back to the community. It provides a competition between D.C. areaschools to collect the greatest amount of United Drives items each month. The monthly winners will receive a pizzaparty with a D.C. United player to celebrate the schools’ achievement. If your institution is interested in takingThe Challenge, please contact D.C. United’s Community Relations Department.

Additionally, all fans thatdonate an item will receive a “Buy One, Get One Free” ticket voucher,redeemable for a 2011 regular season home game. The collection bin on game days is located at the United Drives Boothoutside RFK Stadium’s Gate A, and is open from two hours prior to the gameuntil 15 minutes after kickoff.

Donations are also acceptedin the D.C. United offices on non-game days, located on the fourth floor ofGate A. This season marks the eighthyear of the United Drives campaign, which collects much-needed items to helpwith each beneficiary mission.

For more information onUnited Drives or any of the D.C. United’s community initiatives, please call(202) 587-5000.